Polyesteramides are polymers containing both ester linkages and amide linkages. The significance of the polyesteramides for the technology of surgical devices stems from the fact that the susceptibility of their ester linkages to hydrolysis confers upon these resins the ability to be absorbed, or resorbed, by a body into which they have been implanted and their amide linkages confer upon them the desirable mechanical properties characteristic of the polyamides.
Fiber-forming polyesteramides obtained from the single stage reaction of approximately equimolar amounts of a monoalkanolamine and a dicarboxylic acid are known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,454. Polyesteramides indicated to be useful for the manufacture of absorbable sutures and other surgical devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,243 as obtained from the reaction of a bis-oxyamidodiol (itself derived from the reaction of diethyl oxalate with a monoalkanolamine such as ethanolamine) with a dicarboxylic acid ester. U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,931 discloses absorbable surgical devices manufactured from polyesteramides obtained by reacting a diamine with lactic acid or glycolic acid to produce a diamidediol, which is then reacted with a bischloroformate or a compound selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic acids, diacidchlorides and dicarboxylic acid anhydrides.
Nylon refers to a family of high strength, resilient synthetic materials, the long chain molecules of which contain recurring amide groups. Articles fabricated from nylon have been widely accepted for a variety of applications. Certain surgical applications, however, require a surgical device that is bioabsorbable. Nylon is not bioabsorbable and is therefore unacceptable in such circumstances.
It would be desirable to provide a surgical device that has strength and resiliency characteristics equivalent to those of nylon, but which is bioabsorbable.